Tot fights for life after pram crushed by truck

A toddler suffered critical injuries as his pram was crushed beneath the wheels of a huge truck. The two-year-old boy, named locally as Thomas Wilshaw, was being pushed across Huddersfield Road, in Littlemoor, Oldham, by his mother when a lorry struck his pushchair.

A toddler suffered critical injuries as his pram was crushed beneath the wheels of a huge truck.

The two-year-old boy, named locally as Thomas Wilshaw, was being pushed across Huddersfield Road, in Littlemoor, Oldham, by his mother when a lorry struck his pushchair.

The pram was crushed in front of shocked onlookers on the busy main road at 1pm yesterday.

Trainee nurse Emma King, raced to Thomas’s aid before he was taken with his mum to the Royal Oldham Hospital and later transferred to Manchester Royal Infirmary.

He was said to be in a ‘critical’ condition last night with family keeping a vigil at his bedside in the intensive care unit. His family were too upset to talk.

Ms King, 33, said she had just pulled out of a side street in her car when she heard the lorry screech to a halt.

She said: "I didn’t know exactly what had happened. I just knew there had been some sort of an accident, then I saw the little boy’s mum run out. I pulled on the handbrake and jumped out of the car.

"I didn’t even get chance to turn the engine off. I knew I had to help."

Ms King was taking her nephews out for the afternoon when the accident happened.

She said: "When I got over to the baby there were people saying he had no pulse but I managed to find one.

"It was very light but it was definitely there so I knew we hadn’t lost him.

"I cleared his airway and just tried my best to keep him alert until the ambulance arrived."

Ms King, who lives in Burnley, added: "I think I was just in the right place at the right time."

Dave Shaw, 50, witnessed the accident as he sat in the beer garden of the nearby Weaver’s Arms pub.

He said: "I just heard a screech and then a scream.

"I ran round and asked if the baby was okay and performed first aid until the nurse arrived.

"I just hope he is okay."

A spokesman from Viridor, the waste management company which owns the truck, said: "An incident involving a Viridor truck occurred in Oldham this afternoon in which a child in a pushchair was injured whilst crossing the road with his mother.

"The incident is being dealt with by local police. The child has been taken to hospital we have no further details at this stage.

"Our thoughts are with those involved and with their families. Viridor will of course conduct a full investigation and will cooperate fully with the relevant authorities."